This.

As far as your list of maintenance concerns, I don't think any sized tank will ease that up. You're always going to have to empty a skimmer, change your carbon, and do water changes.

A smaller tank will just make it easier to stick your hands in.
Get a mag-float and you'll maybe have to go in with a scraper two or three times a year.

I have short arms and for me the height of the tank makes the biggest difference. I have a 150g right now that is 20" tall but previously had a 90g that was 24" tall. I could not stand the 90g because I just could not comfortably get into the tank to do stuff and it annoyed the crap out of me. My 150g now is much larger but being only 20" means I can easily reach in to do stuff (pick up fallen frags, clean up sand bed, scrape that algae that's near the sandbed, move rocks, target feed corals, etc).

My suggestion would be to just get a shallower tank but keep the 48" length.

Edit: Based on the equipment that you already have I would do a 48x18x20 (you can reuse your stand, probably?) or 48x20x20 or 48x20x18

I guess the biggest problem is with the height. I am using a magfloat to clean the front and sides of the tank. The back requires a scraper.

Actinics only
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Z...4/IMG_4155.JPG

Full daylights
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0...4/IMG_4156.JPG

Maybe my aquascape is too low.

Do you think if I put a background on, it would ease up on the cleaning of the glass?

This is a barebottom tank which is why I am using the socks. Is it possible to eliminate the socks entirely? It's pretty much a berlin method with vodka dosing to keep the nutrients down further.

Great scape! I love the way your tank looks. I would go 48x18x18, I think. You wouldn't have to change a thing about your scape at all. You wouldn't get as wet, and the "empty space" at the top of your scape would be eliminated.

wow, that's actually a pretty nice setup. I really like your minimalist aquascape. But ya, I would be annoyed working on this tank as well, especially since you don't have a sandbed! That's a lot to reach down into the bottom (for me with t-rex arms). Even on my old 90g I had a 2" sandbed and I was still annoyed with the reach. Plus, I can see how scraping the back would make you want to slit your wrists with the kent scraper. Getting down near the bottom on that back wall would be torture (for those of us with short arms).

Anyway! I think it would go a long way to simply shave 4" off the top of this tank, in my opinion.

Even if you put a picture in the back wall you would still want to scrape it to keep it clean so that you could see the picture. Unfortunately scraping the back wall is just a necessary evil. However, there are people who simply don't care about what grows on the back wall and simply let it grow over with whatever. Again, I think lowering the height would make scraping the back A LOT easier and more manageable.

Beautiful tank!!! I can see why you would want something shorter to work on!! Even with a background, the coraline will still grow and given how you maintain your tank, you will still end up scraping the back. Definitely do not go with a tank that is 12 wide, you will end up with rock on the back wall and no room to move around!!

I agree with Shelley, 48x18x18 would be a great size and you can't beat the height!!

I'm old school. I'd add some taller rocks and raise your aquascaping another 8-10" at least.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I do agree with the others who suggest going with 4' x 18" x 18" if you are downsizing.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I do appreciate the input. That size would have to be a custom tank (48 x 18 x 18) and I don't really want to go there.

I also looked at the dimensions of the 55 and it's too narrow. The 75 is only 3 inches shorter, if I added a sand bed it would be pretty much the same thing. When your fish start nibbling at your armpits, you know your not fresh right? :lol:

I guess I'll just hang onto the 90 and start a journal.

I had thought about that but I can't figure out how to do it nicely. Plus I would definitely get more par from the T5's.

I had a ninety as well and hated the height and how to narrow it was. I love your setup now it looks great I would say having a black background has stopped me from cleaning the back of my current tank (that and I can't do it without a snorkel lol) I would give that a shot first.
Great looking tank either way